Print to Scale [tutorial]

hfc07H · 15 May 2009, 12:31

Guys

I'm using SU7 free version to compile a housing development of around 200 units. I have been exporting and using AutoCAD to produce the street elevations, however, it would be much simpler to just print the elevations straight from Sketchup.

Ive been reading several posts on how to do it and it seams that you can only print to scale if you use the set views of left, right , top bottom etc by unckecking the "fit to page" dialoge box and set the perameters.

Is it possible to print to scale once you have aligned to a specific face outwith the set views.

Gaieus · 15 May 2009, 14:44

No. Unfortunately - no matter you are still in parallel projection or anything. Even setting/aligning the axes to a "non-standard" view won't work.

The only "solution" is to rotate the whole model to the standard scenes and take an export from there. It's like "when the mountain will not come to Mohammed, Mohammed will go to the mountain".

Anssi · 15 May 2009, 17:57

Now I don't remember who just a while ago posted this workaround (Thomthom?) using a section plane:

place a section plane and align your view to that
switch to parallel projection
in the Print dialog, check "2D section slice only"
SU lets you now set the print scale!
uncheck "2D section slice only". The scale box becomes grey but the setting sticks
click OK and print

Anssi

Gaieus · 15 May 2009, 18:32

That's a good workaround - but it only works with the Pro version (AFAIK). See, now I stumped.

thomthom · 16 May 2009, 07:18

Why does that only work for Pro? Printing isn't a Pro feature, is it?

Gaieus · 16 May 2009, 11:39

What I know is that section cut export is only pro but that's a dwg/dxf export so you are probably right - this should also work with the free version. Unfortunately I don't have the free installed on any computer I can access at the moment.

ely862me · 8 Jun 2009, 14:28

i m interested in this too..i ve made some cuts into the body of my car and i want to print those sectioncuts to scale..how do i do?

EDITED:Hehe scale 1:7 works (keeping the 2d section cut only checked)

Edson · 8 Jun 2009, 18:51

i am attaching an excerpt from aidan chopra's sketchup for dummies book, on the subject of printing to scale. i hope it helps.

printing to scale.pdf

Prisoner · 9 Jun 2009, 08:53

@edson said:

i am attaching an excerpt from aidan chopra's sketchup for dummies book, on the subject of printing to scale. i hope it helps.

Exactly what I've been looking for for my maps. Muchas gracias!!!

ely862me · 18 Jun 2009, 13:18

URGENT....How can i save the pages which i want to print in A0 paper size..right now i have a normal printer and it only accept max A4..and how do i save it to give it like A0 format for printing it ???

Please if u know don t hesitate and tell me !!!

Thanks a lot!!

Elisei

Gaieus · 18 Jun 2009, 13:18

Ely,

SU doesn't "save" images to paper sizes (it's just a "virtual world" that has nothing to do with our "physical world" such as a printout). You could however "print" them to scale into a pdf file with a virtual printer like PDFCreator and use the pdf files to take them to a printer which can print A0.

Or use SU Pro > LayOut.
(I'm sure I'll soon get percentage from Google )

ely862me · 18 Jun 2009, 14:09

it works Thanks a lot BOSS!!!
Another question :why it gives me empty pages near the one with the section..and how can i remove them..and how can i arrange the pages if the section is bigger than one A0 page format??
Hope i don t bother u too much!

Elisei

Edited: just find the pdf splitter and merger
Thanks!

Gaieus · 18 Jun 2009, 14:53

@ely862me said:

Edited: just find the pdf splitter and merger

That's good because I wouldn't have known the answer as I have never tried to do this (just thought it would work)
So you spared me some trial and error playing around now.

BTW SU Pro can also export to pdf and that's even vector based (unlike PDFCreator which will export a raster pdf only).

(Just trying to look nice at Google )